11.24.2008

The weekend was busy with an early Thanksgiving with the In-Laws, and a Sunday working and ruminating over the words of Sweet Jessie.This part echoed through my head all day yesterday,

"I will not stop making things. I will not stop sharing them with you. But I will stop worrying about making things and then taking pictures of them and writing descriptions to list them in the shop and try to figure out where someone might want them shipped and how much would that cost and how much does the package weigh anyway and then selling them and having to buy packaging materials because the box is either too big or too small and then I need to cushion the fragile - and heavy - merchandise that I'm sending to the other side of the world and looking for the perfect little gift to go in the package and get it shipped out within a day and lose money on shipping.....Because I have a meeting to get to!"

Only interrupted by thoughts about other projects in process and the meaning of what I/we do. Mr. Sneak and I live creatively with such ease, it's just part of who we are. However, there are things that are difficult (maintaining organization) and are out of whack.Which means it's time to enjoy an icing-less cake. January 1, the WatS shop will be on hiatus while prior obligations are filled. We'll still be creating and making, but not stocking shop--we'll be helping others get their creative hats on their heads, defining interests, refining approaches and really getting down to the business of making things that represent who we are and what we believe. That's the difficult balance of selling what you love: making sure selling isn't just for money's sake.

With me it's a continual struggle to make things without "selling out" so I can take the opportunity to sort that particular conflict out.

And when the shop opens again, there will be no more Pod and Fungi Posters--a few other old standbys may be sent into retirement as well. Whatever the new shop turns out to be, it is what it is--and that's a good feeling to have.

I know by now everyone is familiar with the Sew Mama Sew blog, and I'm okay with being late to the party, when it's such a good one!